Message holder and the like



April 1, 1958 w. o. ZlNN 2,828,551

MESSAGE HOLDER AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 9, 1953 IZYVEZYfT Wilbur 0 Zz n/zUnited States Patent f MESSAGE HOLDER AND THE LIKE Wilbur 0. Zinn,Lombard, Ill.

Application December 9, 1953, Serial No. 397,087

3 Claims. (Cl. 40-10) The present invention relates to a desk messageholder or the like and more particularly concerns a new and improvedapparatus for releasably supporting message slips and papers, and thelike.

Although spiked spindles and like devices have been used for many yearsas places for the safe disposition of important messages and remindernotes and the like, they have not been as popular as might be expectedsince they are not only unsightly but further have certain problems intheir use which inherently make them undesirable. One such difficulty isthat when two or more messages are placed on a spindle or the like, thebottom one must be either torn to remove it from the spindle or theupper one must be removed in order to remove the lower one and then itis necessary to repuncture the upper ones in placing them back on thespindle.

Because of these and other problems the use of spindles has generallybeen avoided in offices and the like. With no convenient message holdingmeans available to replace the spindles, important messages such astelephone messages and the like are often found on an ofiice deskcovered ,by other papers or placed on a pen handle of a desk set pen orthe like, etc. The undesirability of such message placement is obvious.It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention toobviate these (ilifiClllliCS and provide a new and improved desk messageholder and the like.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a newand improved device operable as a message holder and affording a new andimproved advertisement carrier.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved device of the class described operable to resiliently holdmessage slips and sheets and the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a messageholding device wherein a removable and replaceable plate, which may haveimprinting or engraving thereon, is resiliently engaged by a resilientmember to resiliently hold message slips and the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved resilient message holder device having a figurine standardholding a replaceable plate on one of its arms and a resilientsword-like member to resiliently engage the plate and resiliently holdmessage slips and the like against the plate.

Still other objects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill become readily apparent from the following detailed description ofthe principles of the present invention and a preferred embodimentthereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying figures of drawingsin which each and every detail shown is fully and completely disclosed,in which like reference numerals are for the like parts, and in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a device embody-- ing theprinciples of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmental side elevational view of the device of Figure1;

2,828,561 Patented Apr. 1, 195s ICC Figure 3 is a fragmental frontelevational view of :the device of Figure 1 but with the message slipbacking plate removed therefrom to more clearly illustrate certainfeatures of the device;

Figure 4 is a fragmental side elevational view of the device asillustrated in Figure 3; and I Figure 5 is a fragmental sectional .viewof the device as shown in Figure 1, taken substantially along the lineVV of Figure l.

The device illustrated inthe drawing as an embodiment of the principlesof the present invention is shown as comprising a standard, which forornamental purposes is in the form of a figurine 10, operable to holdmessage slips and the like resiliently against a tablet-like backingplate 11 which is supported by the figurine 10. In the instantembodiment of the present invention, the figurine 10 is patterned aftersome of the features of the mythical mes senger of light (Mercury) andmay be formed of any desired material such as plastic or wood or metal,but is preferably formed of cast metal, surface finished or coated orpolished, and secured to or'formed integrally with a base 12. The latteris preferably suificiently heavy or weighted to resist upsetting thedevice from an upstande ing position.

The figurine 10 standard carries the message supporting or backing plate11 in a substantially vertical forwardly facing position but preferablytilted slightly rearwardly of the device, towardits upper end so as toface'in a con-1 venient direction to be generally normal to the line 'ofvision of the observer or user of the device. The plate 11 is preferablyremovably held by the standard or figurine 1G in grooves thereinproperly disposed to receive the side edges of the plate by sliding itdownwardly into position. One such groove 13 (Figure 5) is provided bymeans'such as an inwardly grooved right hand 14 on a transverselyoutstretched right arm 15 of the figure to engage a convergent side edge16 of the generally wedge or keystone shaped plate 11. For stability,the sameedge 16 of the siliently engages that face of the plate.

plate 11 is received in a second groove 17, aligned with the groove 13and provided in the tip of a sash or banner or the like arranged asthough Wrapped around the midportion of body of the figurine as at 18,draped over the wrist portion of the outstretched arm 15 as at 19 andhaving a portion 20 disposed as hanging downwardly therefrom toaccommodate the groove recess 17. The sash or banner is preferablyformed integrally with the Figure 10 as a part thereof when the figureis cast or molded or carved or the like, as desired, and provides abrace or support for the arm.

An opposite convergent side edge 21 of the message backing plate 11 isslidably removably engaged and seated in wedging relation in a generallyvertical groove recess 22 in the body of the figurine adjacent to theshoulder 23 thereof and more specifically in the upper region of theright breast portion of the figurine. The groove 22 is properly disposedon an oblique axis correlated to the convergently related oblique aXisof the opposite grooves 13 and 17 and 22, to enable ready slidinginsertion or removal of the plate 11 into and out of the supporting andretaining seats provided by the grooves.

To hold messages on slips of paper or the like against a forward face 24of the backing plate 11, resiliently yieldable spring retainer means areprovided working toward such face. hand 25 of a crooked left arm 26 ofthe figurine 10 carrying a resilient elongated sword-like spring strip27 pointing obliquely toward a central portion of the face 24 of theplate 11 in such a manner that a tip 28 thereon re- The resilient,sword-like, holding spring member 27 may be formed of plastic or metalstrip having adequate resilient flexibility, and is fixedly anchored inthe hand 25 to be biased under Herein the retainer means comprise a leftresilient tension at its tip 28 against the backing plate (Figures 1 and2). By virtue of the biasing angle of the spring member 27, when theplate 11 is removed (Figures 3 and 4) the tip portion 28 will springrearwardly into overlying relation to 'the forearm portion of the rightarm 15 of the figure. Thus, when the plate 11 is in position thetip 28of the resilient spring member 27 will reasonably firmly resilientlyengage the face 24 of the plate bythe forward tensioned deflection ofthe spring strip, so that message slips or envelopes or the like, eithersingle or plural in number, inserted between the tip 28 and the face 24will be securely held in place in a conspicious manner to attractattention thereto.

By the sharply oblique convergence of the spring member 27 and the platesurface 24, generally upwardly and sidewardly, sliding of papers to beheld into the convergence is greatly facilitated as is also slidingremoval of the papers in the same direction. Yet the generally upwardlydirected point or tip 28 resists downward slipping of the papers. Largerpapers or envelopes may receive supplemental support from the crookedarm 26.

By virtue of its weightand ornamental nature, the device described alsomakes a convenient and attractive paper Weight to hold in place otherpapers on the users desk or table or the like.

. The present device also has valuable utility as a nameplate or thelikeor as an advertising media since the faces of the plate 11 may beimprinted upon or engraved or the like to carry such wording, indicia ordesign as may be desired. Also a face 29 is provided on the face of thebase 12 and this face may also be imprinted upon or engraved or thelike, as desired. In addition, of course, imprinted matter may beattached to the plate 11 in any desired manner, and face plates may besecured to the face 29 on the front of the base 12.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a desk-type message holding device, an upright standard structureof substantial height having on the upper portion thereof a laterallyprojecting supporting arm with a free end portion spaced a substantialdistance from the standard structure and provided with means defining anelongated groove extending in a generally up and down direction andopening toward the standard structure, the standard structure havingmeans thereon providing a complementary up and down groove openingtoward and in the sanie plane as the groove on the free end portion ofsaid arm, said grooves converging slightly downwardly toward a commonpoint, a message supporting plate having side edges generallyconvergently related complementary to said grooves and respectivelyengageable slidably with a downward motion wedgingly in said grooves tobe thereby supported by the standard structure and said arm in asuspended clearance position Well above a surface on which the device issupported, and a second arm on the standard structure and extendingforwardly therefrom in a position spaced in substantial clearancerelation laterally from the standard-engaging edge of said plate andprojecting forwardly from said plane and with a free end portion spacedsubstantially forwardly from the standard in an elevated positiongenerally aligned with the lowermost portion of said plate and carryingan elongated stifily resilient member extending convergently generallyupwardly and laterally toward a central area of said plate and having aretaining tip point normally engageable against the forward face of theplate under resilient biasing tension of the member and operable topress message slips of paper and the like against the plate withsubstantial resistance against downward s'lippage of the slips, suchslips being adapted to be forcibly slid by a generally upward andlateral movement generally in the direction in which the resilientmember points into position between said point and the plate or theresilient member being adapted to be flexed away from the plate and theslips inserted and the resilient member then released to press the pointresistively against the slips, the clearances below said plate andbetween the plate and said second arm enabling retention of large slipsof paper with portions depending freely below the plate and the secondarm providing a supplemental support for oversize papers projectingbeyond the plate to lean against the second arm.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the plane of said grooves andsaid message supporting plate engaged within said grooves is tiltedslightly rearwa'rdly toward its upper end. v

3. A device as defined in claim 1, including a brace extending from aportion of the standard structure below the first mentioned laterallyprojecting supporting arm to such arm adjacent to its outer end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS255,841 Croak et al. Apr. 4, 1882 394,856 Hendrick Dec. 18, 1888 556,650Smith et al Mar. 17, 1896 2,538,318 Mitchell Jan. 16, 1951

